Other People's Bikes. Part One

garethr said:
If you don't mind, Skip, I'll continue spamming your thread! :)
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Spam Spam Spam Spam ......
LOL. you go right ahead there. I've put on the Lumberjack song for background flavor.

Fine lookin bike that Dyna. Never saw before what is a very 'stock-looking' machine with so much daylight shining through it. Pretty.
 
This popped up in one of the UK magazines back in the seventies or eighties, can't remember any details such as the builder (seen riding it) or the engine, an in line four, but do remember him saying the inspiration for the steering was taken from a British tank. The trick was to NOT look down at the bars!

Parallelogramic front end, hub centre steering.

'Drastic Action' I think he called it. Most apt.

Drastic action 1 (Medium).jpg


Drastic action 2 (Medium).jpg
 
I've been digging around in the dark recesses of an old tablet.

This is a slightly customised KHRM. I still find it strange that H-D didn't really plunder their "heritage" in the way that Triumph did, although, I suppose, every big twin and XL is a modern classic, as Triumph call them.

Harley-Davidson-KHRM.jpeg



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What is a KHRM? I found the article from which I downloaded the pics: https://silodrome.com/harley-davidson-khrm

And the brochure

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Trials and motocross bikes have changed a bit in the last 70 years! :)
 
Finally some time to reply to your latest....
I've always liked the look of the K model heads. I once set a pair on the cylinders of a 45 engine I built up. Jazzy looking things too.
This KHRM; never seen or heard of one before, many thanks for that. Noticing: gen hole covered (no night trials??), the gaiters on the rear shocks are an interesting touch (never seen them before on the rear shox of ANY bike ..... where have I been?? and now, strangely, I want a pair....), and the P-pad... 2-up scrambles? The extra-deep belly pan.... only on this machine? if so, that would be one will-o-the-wisp to follow in a parts chase.
Choice find!


...and I read the article.
The 40 mm carb with "Zenith" on it made me wonder if it was a Bendix made H-D snowmobile carb. Which do quite well on Shovels thank you. But are awful, awful hard to find....
 
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That's what I mean about H-D plundering their heritage. I love the look of the Ks and early XLs. Would an Evo-engined modern classic take on the early Sportsters have rivalled Triumph's new Bonneville range?

Something like this:

1957-harley-sportster-replica-625x417.jpg


www.bikeexif.com

This vintage '1957 Sportster' is actually a brand new bike

Last year, the Harley-Davidson Sportster turned 60. It’s an extraordinary milestone, with only the Royal Enfield Bullet having a longer unbroken model run. Surprisingly, Harley didn’t make much noise about the Sportster’s 60th birthday. But the Spanish builder Efraón Triana decided to celebrate...
www.bikeexif.com www.bikeexif.com
 
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That is what you call a set of pipes, enough metal for three or four exhaust systems.

The bike was built by Gary Littlejohn. More of his builds are on line, I searched Gary Littlejohn motorcycle builder.
 
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I bought that issue of MCM. :)

Gary Littlejohn was also a stuntman and actor - Wild Angels and Easy Rider, among many others.
 
I know a number of you have seen these two past club bikes before but this seems like the perfect thread to trot them out again and anyway, must be some new members who will see for first time. Haven't yet put a name to the Norley/Harton but the Knucksa belonged to Louie Parsloe (no relation), not sure where it is now - last seen it was army green I think?

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You don't happen to remember it back in the day? maybe who owned it or built it?
(to be honest it might have been an AMR owner?)

(AMR = the American Motorcycle Register, a club here in the sixties)
 
Degsy said:
This popped up in one of the UK magazines back in the seventies or eighties, can't remember any details such as the builder (seen riding it) or the engine, an in line four, but do remember him saying the inspiration for the steering was taken from a British tank. The trick was to NOT look down at the bars!

Parallelogramic front end, hub centre steering.

'Drastic Action' I think he called it. Most apt.

View attachment 1193022

View attachment 1193023
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I remember this one too i think it was by a designer/builder called Tony foale it utilised his “hub center steering system“ he patented it and tried to interest bmw in it but it never rearly took off but there are still a few about mainly on bike and chair combinations where aparently its ace 🤷‍♂️ Bit too out there for me:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
watchman said:
I remember this one too i think it was by a designer/builder called Tony foale it utilised his “hub center steering system“ he patented it and tried to interest bmw in it but it never rearly took off but there are still a few about mainly on bike and chair combinations where aparently its ace 🤷‍♂️ Bit too out there for me:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
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Tony Foale - yes, that name rings a bell. Just looked:
Both Tony Foale and Jack Difazio built hub centre steering bikes. I seem to recall Roy Creasey also riding a feet forward device (with a hardtop?) back in the seventies/eighties.
www.altoracing.co.uk

Hub centre - a brief history. - Alto Racing

The Design – a brief history. Hub center steering is not new, lets get that clear straight away. The first designs put into production were in the 1920’s and was ironically made for women to use. Normal motorcycles of the time were really only bicycles with engines and so had a cross bar etc…...
www.altoracing.co.uk www.altoracing.co.uk

Difazio Hub steering Commando

The bike was registered in Nov 1973 to Andover Norton and was used as a press fleet bike, I have a copy of Motor Cycle Mechanics dated Feb 74 with the roadtest in. Mike Jackson then took it to Jack Difazio in Frome and had it converted to the hub steering system Jack had designed, an link is...
www.accessnorton.com www.accessnorton.com
 
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